A child’s first steps are an important memory in every parent’s life. One concern many parents have is the wellness of their children’s feet. Most parents are concerned whether or not their children have flat feet or will develop foot deformities.
Young children often start to walk between the age of 9 – 15 months. Most small children’s’ feet appear to be fat and are chubby in appearance with less bony architecture because the foot is still developing. At this point in the development, it is too early to evaluate whether the child will have future problems with a flat foot deformity
It is not until the age of two to three years old that a child’s foot can be properly evaluated as it starts to show more of its characteristic shape. This is because the feet are less fat and the bones are more prominent. If their child expresses pain there is a cause for concern.
Children with flat feet are known to have foot pain and if left untreated, the pain may lead to future foot ailments such as joint pain and arthritis. Children typically do not outgrow a flat foot, but if detected early, children’s flat feet can be corrected simply through the usage of special braces, shoes, or customized insoles. Treating a child’s flat foot aids in the prevention of future foot pain and also corrects deformities that would otherwise be progressive..
Things to watch for:
- Instability of the foot while walking
- Children complaining of discomfort in the foot arch, heel, or ankle
- Discomfort aggravated with increased standing, walking or running
- Excessive rolling inward of the arches while walking or running
- Child not wanting to walk, run, or stand
If you think your child is experiencing foot pain please call and make an appointment to have your child’s foot evaluated by one of the doctors at Progressive Foot Care.